After an entire summer of waiting, Hoosier schoolchildren and families will be able to help re-open the doors to the exhibit area in the McCormick's Creek State Park Nature Center beginning Nov. 6.

The dedication for these new exhibits is at 11:30 a.m. that day, at the Nature Center. All are welcome.
 
The new exhibits, which replace exhibits that were more than 20 years old, include a replica of a cave entrance, a look at the glaciers that covered Indiana, lots of hands-on activities, a diorama with a "turtle run" for live turtles, a kids play space with puppets and books, and exhibits about the families who owned the land before McCormick's Creek became Indiana's first state park.

The bird-viewing room, a perennial favorite in most state park and reservoir centers, remains an important part of the facility. 
 
Also featured is an exhibit about the Civilian Conservation Corps, funded by a gift from the estate of Euclid Dearing, who was a "CCC boy" in the unit that lived and worked at McCormick's Creek. The funds for this exhibit were held by the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation during exhibit planning and fabrication.
 
"We have been working hard over the last 5-10 years to replace outdated exhibits in our centers while retaining a natural, family-friendly feel. We also want to provide great information that helps visitors want to explore the park or reservoir they're visiting," said Ginger Murphy, DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs assistant director for stewardship. "Our property staff and exhibit partners have been working hard over the last several months, and we are all looking forward to seeing the reaction of our guests to this new look at McCormick's Creek."
 
The Nature Center's winter hours (November through March) are 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday-Monday; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays

For more information about McCormick's Creek State Park, visit www.dnr.IN.gov/parklake.  For information about nature and history programs at McCormick's Creek, visit interpretiveservices.IN.gov. 

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